Pennsylvania seeks CDC help on measles outbreak, demands recognition of deaths

Washington — The Pennsylvania Department of Health has sought emergency assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat one of the nation's most severe and lethal measles outbreaks, according to a document obtained by Reuters on Thursday. The request is contingent upon the federal agency acknowledging four deaths attributed to measles within the state, intensifying an ongoing conflict with the Trump administration.

The state's measles crisis has become the center of contention between U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Governor Josh Shapiro, a member of the Democratic Party. Kennedy has expressed skepticism regarding the veracity of deaths reported in U.S. measles outbreaks since his appointment, instructing the CDC not to incorporate the Pennsylvania fatalities into the national mortality count.

Experts in the field of epidemiology contend that this decision represents an unprecedented level of intervention by a health secretary in the assessment conducted by state health officials, potentially downplaying the severity of measles in the public's perception. Kennedy has accused Shapiro of exploiting the outbreak for political gain and of neglecting his responsibilities.